Ella's collection

https://knittingcollector.wordpress.com/

You can visit Ella Gordon's blog and see everything she has collected!

Ella Gordon and MORE knitwear

My first workshop was on recommendation, no, insistence from my friend that we attend, and so glad we did!  

This is Shetland Wool Week, a yearly 10-day week event that centers around the town of Lerwick, which is pretty much the only town.  (Happy, I was, that there was a TESCO around the corner...for shame, but when you need "stuff", that's the place!)  It's full of events, workshops, and happy knitters in a community of wool.  I have to catch my breath just remembering the concept!

Shetland Wool Week's Patron, this year, was Ella Gordon, a young, enthusiastic, woman, and she gave her first presentation on our second day, showing us up close a collection of hers--yes, a collection that she sometimes makes, but has bought up to preserve the history and culture of Shetland knitting. (She admitted that once she realized too late she was buying a sweater from her aunt through eBay...funny stories.)  

You could tell she admires each one.

Below is a sample that customers would use to order their own custom knitted sweater.

Lunch of Fish Cakes!  HUGE, and oh, so delicious!  Fish on a fisherman's island... Can't go wrong!

Back in the room with a view into the backyards of Lerwick.

Whalsay! What Say?

An amazing island in the Shetland Islands... and we got to experience it even before we checked in to our B&B!  And I found this.... Lovely people in knitwear, in an exhibit of amazing fair isle with stories to go along with each item.  A week here would suffice, but I only had 4 hours (in 2 2-hour sessions).  EnJOY!

Not fair isle, but I had to remark that she was wearing "Boardwalk", and so was my friend, and so this woman became my friend, and we met many times in the next days.

And then down the road and up the hill was Angela's Studio.  Saw it advertised on the bulletin board on the ferry over.  She has a creative nature, and uses lace decoration for her clothing designs.  PLUS...do you see the chest/cupboard?  Yep...lace!

Later, we were invited to a private exhibition of Shetland shawls at a private home.  It was such a feast for the eyes, I totally forgot to snap a photo...So GRACIOUS everyone was!  I can't believe how lucky we were to experience so much in our first day.

Shetland, day 1

Our trip: 10 days in Iceland (brutal north winds and rain every day, like winter!)

Then 3 days in Scotland (one rainy day, but lots of sun and activities, and like a mild Fall).

Then:

Arriving in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, where we were back to a crisp late Fall.  The seasons are changing as we move.  Spending 6 days here, and my first experience driving on the left in 18 years.  Because Pattie had to make the ferry to reach her workshop/class on another island, I was left to fend for myself in our rental.  This is what I saw when I got to the ferry to Whalsey.  Gone.  But 1-1/2 hours to knit, think, rest, and ....geocache until the next ferry.

I started to explore a bit.  

I was intrigued by... everything!  I was SO wishing I had Pattie with me so I wouldn't be exclaiming to MYSELF!

And finally the ferry arrived, and ...

Scotland, at Last!

Before it's 2017, I thought I should try to find time for a few blogs to finish up my trip in September.  Here's what we saw! 

Flags, chimneys, cars on the left, wonderful places!  And though the clouds were there, and we saw an abundance of rainbows, there were bright, mild days!  (That's the way I remember it...you know, how the iffy parts slide to the back of my mind.)

This is Perth:  (I learned to say it more or less properly, but you'll have to ask me in person.)

And from a little drive through, compliments to our hostess at the B&B, we realized we should be staying here for a week...

Then on to the coast, by train.

To the Ferry in Aberdeen, with harsh wind and rain.

To a cozy cabin on aboard, where I could model my finished socks (with Carol's Loopy Legend yarn).

Jogless Alert!

I interrupt my blog posts with this important news:

There's a NEW jogless technic.  And I want to share it before I lose it, or you lose it.  It's from TECHknitting, which I have as a favorite blog (to the right), and you can find this fascinating-for-knitters-knitting-in-the-round-with-colors read right HERE (click). 

You're welcome!

See for yourself--no jogs
(and yes, you are looking at some
round-ends!)

Two days of sewing

Sewing?  Yes...I remember quite a bit of eye rolling as I mentioned that we were going to a kilt maker... And above, there she is, Marion, helping this man who was patiently enjoying retirement while he fussed and basted dozens of pleats.  There were four other kilt students, sewing real kilts.

She does repairs, and gives lessons.

And amazing colors and designs emerge.

Here's Ella from the Toronto area working on a kilt for daughter who plays the pipes.

Huge expanses of tartans.  A feast of color with a feast of Autumn out the window.

Pattie and I are striving for the cushion covers...that's all we could manage in two days.

Someday, I will finish and show you!